Skip to content

DATA_PROVENANCE.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
180 lines (136 loc) · 9.33 KB

DATA_PROVENANCE.md

File metadata and controls

180 lines (136 loc) · 9.33 KB
Raw

Data Provenance

This document explains the origin, licensing, and verification status of the supported-model data bundled with the Waste Ink Maintenance Counter Utility (MaintenanceCounterUtility.exe, version 1.0.0).

This utility is a maintenance-focused, open-source tool that reads approximate waste-ink maintenance counters, creates a local backup, and can reset those counters only after the owner has physically inspected, cleaned, replaced, or redirected the waste-ink pad/tank. It performs no physical maintenance and is not a substitute for service requirements.

This document is not legal advice. Anti-circumvention, repair, warranty, consumer-protection, product-liability, and trademark laws vary by jurisdiction. Any paid distribution requires legal review before paid distribution by a qualified local IP/product lawyer.

Non-affiliation notice

This project is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or approved by Epson. Epson is a trademark of its respective owner. Product names are used only to describe compatibility with selected printer models.

Summary

  • The supported-model database contains 108 compatible models and is embedded in the binary.
  • The data has two provenance streams:
    1. EUPL-derived data converted from epson_print_conf (EUPL-1.2, Copyright (c) 2024-2025 Ircama) by the build-time generator gen_model_db.py.
    2. Hardware-verified data for the L3250 / L3251 / L3253 / L3255 family, verified on real hardware by this project in June 2026.
  • No proprietary, unlicensed, vendor, or reverse-engineered vendor database is bundled. A previously bundled larger unlicensed database was removed and must not be used.

Data sources

1. EUPL-derived model data (epson_print_conf)

The majority of the embedded model entries (approximately 104 of the 108 models) were converted from the open-source project epson_print_conf:

  • Upstream project: epson_print_conf
  • License: EUPL-1.2 (compatible with this project's EUPL-1.2 license)
  • Copyright: (c) 2024-2025 Ircama
  • Conversion tool: gen_model_db.py (build-time database generator)
  • Output: model_db.py (embedded model database)

Because both epson_print_conf and this project are licensed under EUPL-1.2, the converted data is license-compatible. Under the EUPL-1.2 copyleft obligation, the corresponding source code MUST be published with any binary release, including the generator (gen_model_db.py) and the generated database (model_db.py).

These EUPL-derived models are marked Experimental: their counter addresses and reset parameters are derived from EUPL-licensed public data and have not been verified by this project on real hardware.

2. Hardware-verified model data (L3250 family)

The L3250 / L3251 / L3253 / L3255 family was independently verified on real hardware by this project in June 2026. These models are marked Verified.

The protocol layer used to communicate with these printers (epson_d4.py — an independent USB + IEEE-1284.4 (D4) + control-channel layer) was written from public specifications and documented protocol/API facts and was not copied from any third party.

Verification method and evidence

Verification for the L3250 family was performed by reading and resetting the waste-ink maintenance counters on physical hardware over a USB connection (Windows 64-bit), following the application's full safety workflow:

  • First-run Terms-of-Use acceptance.
  • Mandatory pre-reset warning (8 points).
  • Required confirmation checkbox: "I confirm that the waste ink pad has been inspected, cleaned, replaced, or an external waste ink tank is installed and functioning."
  • Required second confirmation: "I understand this action modifies printer maintenance counters and I accept full responsibility for ensuring physical maintenance has been completed."
  • An automatic EEPROM backup taken before every reset (the reset stops if the backup fails, unless the user explicitly overrides with a warning).

Evidence location: the local operation logs produced by oplog.py plus the EEPROM backup files produced by eeprom_io.py. The operation logs record model, transport, counter values, backup path, confirmation flags, and errors, but not serial numbers or personal data. There is no telemetry; nothing is transmitted off the device.

A model is considered Verified by this project only when:

  1. The counters were successfully read from the physical printer, and
  2. A counter reset was successfully applied and confirmed on the physical printer (with the EEPROM backup taken first), and
  3. The above are reflected in the local operation logs and backup files.

All models that have not met these criteria remain Experimental.

Data that MUST NOT be used

To preserve the project's compliance-oriented, risk-reduced posture, the following data sources must not be added to or bundled with this project:

  • Any proprietary or vendor database or data file.
  • Any unlicensed database (no clear, compatible open-source license).
  • Any reverse-engineered vendor database.
  • The previously-removed large unlicensed database — it was removed and must not be reintroduced under any name.

Only data that is license-compatible (e.g., EUPL-1.2 data such as epson_print_conf) or independently verified on hardware by this project may be included.

Provenance table

Model Region/Variant Support status Data source License/provenance Verification date Verification method Evidence/log reference Notes
L3250 Global / EcoTank Verified Hardware verification by this project EUPL-1.2 (project) June 2026 USB read + reset of waste-ink counters via epson_d4.py, with pre-reset EEPROM backup Local oplog.py operation logs + eeprom_io.py backup files Verified on real hardware
L3251 Global / EcoTank Verified Hardware verification by this project EUPL-1.2 (project) June 2026 USB read + reset of waste-ink counters via epson_d4.py, with pre-reset EEPROM backup Local oplog.py operation logs + eeprom_io.py backup files Verified on real hardware
L3253 Global / EcoTank Verified Hardware verification by this project EUPL-1.2 (project) June 2026 USB read + reset of waste-ink counters via epson_d4.py, with pre-reset EEPROM backup Local oplog.py operation logs + eeprom_io.py backup files Verified on real hardware
L3255 Global / EcoTank Verified Hardware verification by this project EUPL-1.2 (project) June 2026 USB read + reset of waste-ink counters via epson_d4.py, with pre-reset EEPROM backup Local oplog.py operation logs + eeprom_io.py backup files Verified on real hardware
~104 remaining compatible models Various Experimental epson_print_conf converted by gen_model_db.py EUPL-1.2, (c) 2024-2025 Ircama Not verified by this project EUPL-derived public data; not read/reset-verified on hardware by this project None (no project hardware log) Experimental; EUPL-derived data, not verified by this project on hardware. Use with caution.

The total embedded database contains 108 compatible models: the 4 verified L3250-family models above plus approximately 104 Experimental, EUPL-derived models. No proprietary or unlicensed database is bundled.

Adding new model data

New model data may be contributed, but only from license-compatible or independently hardware-verified sources. The process is:

  1. Confirm the source is permitted. It must be either:
    • EUPL-1.2-compatible open data (and clearly attributed), or
    • Data you verified yourself on real hardware. Data from proprietary, unlicensed, vendor, or reverse-engineered vendor databases is not accepted (see Data that MUST NOT be used).
  2. Generate, do not hand-edit, EUPL-derived entries. EUPL-derived data is produced by gen_model_db.py, which writes model_db.py. Update the generator/input and regenerate so provenance stays reproducible.
  3. Mark the support status honestly. New entries default to Experimental unless they meet the hardware Verified criteria above.
  4. Record provenance. Add a row to the table in this file with the model, region/variant, support status, data source, license/provenance, and (if applicable) verification date, method, and evidence/log reference.
  5. For Verified status, attach evidence. Provide the local oplog.py operation-log details and confirm an EEPROM backup was taken before the reset (with serial numbers and personal data excluded).
  6. Preserve copyleft. Ensure the corresponding source (generator + generated database) is published with any binary release, as required by EUPL-1.2.

For contribution guidelines, see CONTRIBUTING.md.

License

This project is licensed under the EUPL-1.2 (see LICENSE.txt). The EUPL-1.2 copyleft requires that the corresponding source code be published with any binary release. EUPL-derived model data originates from epson_print_conf (EUPL-1.2, Copyright (c) 2024-2025 Ircama).